Making Eden, is the first solo gallery exhibition in Berlin by internationally acclaimed artist Yinka Shonibare MBE. Bringing together a body of entirely new work across two floors of the gallery space, the show explores the theme of revolution, drawing a stark contrast between the utopian ideals inherent in anarchic action and the darker realities of its consequences. Particularly pertinent in today’s global climate of social and political disillusionment, Shonibare explores both historical and contemporary cycles of revolution, seeking to demonstrate the destructive patterns of human behaviour that repeat themselves across time.
Making Eden interprets the notion of overthrowing the current social order in favour of an imagined ‘better place’. The exhibition functions in two halves: the ground floor mirrors this perceived utopian realm – a paradise that is reminiscent of heaven itself, while the upper floor is a representation of the grotesque reality of the corrupt and the fallen, as if the viewer is walking into hell. Indeed, Shonibare once described how "enlightened intentions, in sum, do not necessarily produce enlightened results." This view is reflected in the horrific reality of the violence and death depicted, which has frequently occurred as a direct result of many revolutions.